Back to results
US 6,546,701 B2Granted
Package and method of packaging
AssigneeSouthpac Trust International, Inc.
InventorsDonald E. Weder, Frank Craig
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A packaging material comprising a plurality of cushioning members for cushioning an article in a container is provided. The cushioning members being formed by crumpling a flexible sheet of material having a plurality of slits extending through the sheet of material and into a globular configuration having a plurality of random folds, a plurality of random engaged portions, and a plurality of voids. The sheet of material has an upper surface and a lower surface with at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface having a bonding material disposed thereon such that at least a portion of the engaged portions are bondably connected thereby increasing the resiliency of the folds.
Claims64
A package, comprising:
- a container;
- an article positioned in the container;
- and
- a plurality of cushioning members positioned in the container so as to substantially surround the article and resiliently support and cushion the article, each of the cushioning members formed of a flexible sheet of material having a plurality of slits extending through the sheet of material, the sheet of material crumpled into a globular configuration such that the sheet of material has a plurality of random folds, a plurality of random engaged portions, and a plurality of voids, the sheet of material having an upper surface and a lower surface with at least one of-the upper surface and the lower surface having a bonding material disposed thereon such that at least a portion of the engaged portions are bondably connected thereby increasing the resiliency of the folds and such that the cushioning members are bondingly connected to the adjacently disposed cushioning members to form a unitary cushioning unit.
1 more element
A method of packaging an article, comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning the article in a container;
- (b) providing a flexible sheet of material having a plurality of slits extending through the sheet of material and having a bonding material disposed on at least one surface thereof;
- (c) crumpling the sheet of material into a globular configuration such that the sheet of material has a plurality of random folds, a plurality of random engaged portions, and a plurality of voids and such that at least a portion of the engaged portions are bondably connected thereby increasing the resiliency of the folds;
- (d) disposing the crumpled sheet of material into the container about the article;
- and
- (e) repeating steps (b)-(d) until the article is substantially surrounded by the crumpled sheets of material and each crumpled sheet of material is bondingly connected to the adjacently disposed crumpled sheets of material to provide a unitary cushioning unit about the article, and the crumpled sheets of material in direct contact with the article are caused to be bondably connected to the article.
3 more elements
A method of packaging an article, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a sheet of material having a plurality of slits extending through the sheet of material and a bonding material disposed on at least one surface thereof;
- (b) crumpling the sheet of material into a globular configuration such that the sheet of material has a plurality of random folds, a plurality of random engaged portions, and a plurality of voids and such that at least a portion of the engaged portions are bondably connected thereby increasing the resiliency of the folds;
- (c) bondably connecting the crumpled sheet of material to the exterior surface of the article prior to disposing the article into the container;
- (d) repeating steps (a)-(c) until the article is substantially surrounded by the crumpled sheets of material;
- and
- (e) disposing the article into the container.
3 more elements
A package, comprising:
- a container;
- an article positioned in the container;
- and
- a plurality of cushioning members positioned in the container so as to support and cushion the article, each of the cushioning members formed of a flexible sheet of material having a plurality of slits extending through the sheet of material, the sheet of material being crumpled into a globular configuration such that the sheet of material has a plurality of random folds, a plurality of random engaged portions, and a plurality of voids, the sheet of material having an upper surface and a lower surface with at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface having a bonding material disposed thereon such that at least a portion of the engaged portions are bondably connected thereby increasing the resiliency of the folds.
1 more element
A package, comprising:
- a container;
- an article positioned in the container;
- and
- a plurality of cushioning members positioned in the container so as to support and cushion the article, each of the cushioning members formed of a flexible sheet of material having a plurality of slits extending through the sheet of material crumpled such that the sheet of material has a plurality of random folds, a plurality of random engaged portions, and a plurality of voids, the sheet of material having an upper surface and a lower surface with at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface having a bonding material disposed thereon such that at least a portion of the engaged portions are bondably connected thereby increasing the resiliency of the folds.
1 more element
A method of packaging an article, comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning the article in a container;
- (b) providing a sheet of material having a plurality of slits extending through the sheet of material and having a bonding material disposed on at least one surface thereof;
- (c) crumpling the sheet of material into a substantially globular configuration such that the sheet of material has a plurality of random folds, a plurality of random engaged portions, and a plurality of voids and such that at least a portion of the engaged portions are bondably connected thereby increasing the resiliency of the folds;
- (d) disposing the crumpled sheet of material into the container about the article;
- and
- (e) repeat steps (b)-(d) until the article is substantially surrounded by the crumpled sheets of material to provide a protective cushion about the article.
3 more elements
A method of packaging an article, comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning the article in a container;
- (b) removing a sheet of material from a pad of a plurality of sheets of material, each sheet of material of the pad of sheets of material having a plurality of slits extending through the sheet of material and having a bonding material disposed on at least one surface thereof;
- (c) crumpling the removed sheet of material into a substantially globular configuration such that the removed sheet of material has a plurality of random folds, a plurality of random engaged portions, and a plurality of voids and such that at least a portion of the engaged portions are bondably connected thereby increasing the resiliency of the folds;
- (d) disposing the crumpled sheet of material into the container about the article;
- and
- (e) repeat steps (b)-(d) until the article is substantially surrounded by the crumpled sheets of material to provide a protective cushion about the article.
3 more elements
A method of packaging an article, comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning the article in a container;
- (b) providing a sheet of material having a plurality of slits extending through the sheet of material and having a bonding material disposed on at least one surface thereof;
- (c) crumpling the sheet of material such that the sheet of material has a plurality of random folds, a plurality of random engaged portions, and a plurality of voids and such that at least a portion of the engaged portions are bondably connected thereby increasing the resiliency of the folds;
- (d) disposing the crumpled sheet of material into the container about the article;
- and
- (e) repeat steps (b)-(d) until the article is substantially surrounded by the crumpled sheets of material to provide a protective cushion about the article.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.